Shoulder pad



Nov. '4, 1958 H. I. SILVERMAN 2,858,545

SHOULDER PAD Original Filed March 22, 1946 United States Patent SHDULDER PAD Harry I. Silverman, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Substituted for abandoned application Serial No. 656,343,

March 22, 1946. This application June 13, 1957, Serial No. 665,402

2 Claims. (Cl. 2268) This invention relates in general to a shoulder pad and in particular to a shoulder pad adapted to be fitted over the shoulder of a wearer and to simulate in appearance and effect, a more fully contoured shoulder.

This is a substitute formy former application filed on March 22, 1946, Serial No. 656,343.

In present day fashions, it is frequently desirable for a person to have unusually high or otherwiseunnatural shoulders, in order to appear most attractively dressed. For example, it is general practice in both mens and womens clothing to insert within the shoulders of the clothing a considerable thickness of padding or the like, whereby a squareness of appearance is provided. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a shoulder pad to be placed directly on the shoulder of a wearer to correct or otherwise modify the shape of the shoulder.

' It is another object of the invention to provide a shoulder pad to be placed on a wearers shoulder to obviate the necessity for padding within a persons clothing.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a shoulder pad adapted to be fitted on and firmly, but removably, secured on a wearers shoulder.

Additional objects of the invention as well as its use, operation, and construction will in part be obvious and will in part become apparent from the following disclosure.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is an outline view of a shoulder pad according to this invention, placed on the shoulder of a wearer.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a shoulder pad according to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front cross section of the article shown in Fig. 2, taken along the line 33.

Fig. 4 is a side cross section of the article shown in Figs. 2 and 3, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the article shown in Figs. 2-4.

Fig. 6 is a bottom perspective view of a shoulder pad according to another form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a front cross section of the article of Fig. 6, taken along the line 77.

Pig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the tip of a reinforcing and securing member according to another form of the invention.

Referring to the figures in detail, there is shown in Figs. 15 a shoulder pad generally designated 10, adapted to be removably and yet securely positioned on the shoulder of a wearer 11 indicated in outline (in Fig. 1). The shoulder pad comprises generally a padding member 12. and a reinforcing and securing member 13 which is mounted on the padding member and serves both to rein- 2,858,545 Patented Nov. 4, 1958 42 force the padding member and also, to position the article in a correct and predetermined location on the wearers shoulder.

The padding member, in a simple form of the invention, comprises a smoothly shaped, tapering, arcuate member which, for example, may be substantially triangular when viewed from above. The article is generally shaped and constructed to supplement and fill out the shape and contour of a wearers shoulder, so as to simulate a correctly shaped shoulder (in the case of a person whose shoulders are poorly developed) of an accentuated shoulder (in the case of a person who wishes to appear to particular advantage in clothing of particular or unnatural styles). It is to be understood that the shape and outline of the padding member may in some cases be specially ascertained for each individual wearer in order to correct or supplement the shoulder shape for a specific purpose; on the other hand, the padding member 12 may be constructed in various sizes and shapes which will be suitable for large numbers of wearers with somewhat similar needs, the individual wearer selecting that particular size or shape most closely adapted to his or her own needs.

In general, however, the padding member will be an arcuate shape, to fit relatively closely against the wearers shoulder and to present a smoothly curved upper surface when so worn, and the padding member will also be tapering to a thin section near the wearers neck which will mold smoothly into the shoulder or neck contour, with a thicker portion near the opposite end to simulate a well built up shoulder construction.

A slot 14 runs across the under surface of the padding member 12 from front to back, at a point between the sides or ends thereof, and is adapted to receive the reinforcing member 13 as will be set forth herein. In the preferred form of the invention, this slot is relatively narrow, and' optionally is widened beneath the surface of the padding member. The reinforcing member 13 is positioned within this slot, with arms 16 extending therebeyond and curving downward in front and behind the padding member 12.

The reinforcing member 13 is an elongated flexible member, preferably comparatively thin, curved downward at either end and terminating in downwardly extending arms 16 which are adapted to fit in front and behind a wearers shoulder and to press lightly thereagainst, whereby the member 13 is firmly but lightly secured on the shoulder. As previously set forth, the body of member 13 is placed within slot 14, whereby the padding member 12 is likewise held in a correct predetermined position on the shoulder.

While there may be used numerous materials for the construction of both the padding member and the reinforcing and securing member, it will generally be found advantageous to construct them of materials selected from the following: The padding member will generally be made of a flexible, somewhat soft, preferably spongy material, such as soft rubber, sponge rubber, -or the like, including synthetic materials, for example, various synthetic rubbers, flexible plastics, and other synthetic materials having soft, flexible, rubber-like characteristics. In addition, various materials, such as natural and artificial leather, felt, cloth and the like may be used.

The reinforcing and securing member 13 will generally be constructed of a relatively stifli, flexible material, for example, whalebone, other flexible bone, metal, strong flexible plastic, and the like. It will be understood, of course, that the particular thickness and shape of this member will be determined by the nature of the material used therefor, depending on the strength and flexibility thereof.

The use and operation of the article shown in Figs. 2-5 is relatively obvious from the figures. The article,

correctly shaped and designed, is placed on the shoulder of the wearer, with arms 16 securing it lightly in the desired position. Slot 14, it will be noted, is positioned directly adjacent the wearers shoulder, and accordingly it is apparent that this slot; serves also as a suction recess which aids member 13 in securing the pad in the correct position. The naturalspring and resiliency of member 13 permits the position of the shoulder pad to be adjusted to the desired position and thereafter retains the pad in this selected position. When correctly positioned, the article alters the natural contour of the wearers shoulder to provide, as desired, either'a correctly proportioned shoulder or an appropriately accentuated shoulder.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8there are shown details and variations in the structure *of the shoulder pad according to various forms of this invention. In Figs. 6 and 7 there is shown a form of the invention in which there are provided a plurality of. auxiliary suction cups 17, which in efiect are depressions orrecesses in'the lower surface padding member 12 is retained in the correct position bear against the shoulder of the wearer, whereby the padding member 12 is retained in the correct position independently in addition to being .so retained by the action of member 13.

The structure of the article10, shown in Figs. 6 and 7, is similar to that set forth hereinbefore, comprising a padding member 12 and a reinforcing member 13 having arms 16, the reinforcing member being located in a slot 14 in the under surface of the padding member.

In Fig. 8 there is shown an alternate structure for the arm 16 on member 13, wherein a suction cup 17 is mounted on the inner surface of the arm. This suction cup is constructed of a flexible, resilient material, rubber or a rubber substitute. This arm construction is optional on any of the forms of the invention, and when used it provides a positively acting means on the arm for securing the pad 10 in the correct position.

When a suction member, such as cup 17 in Figs. 6 and 7, or cup 17 in Fig. .8, is used in the article according to this invention,-it'isj to be remembered that too great suction is to be avoided in order to prevent harm to the fiesh or skin of th wearer. Accordingly, at least the portion of the article forming the cup 17 .or 17 will be constructed of a particularly soft material; alternatively, there will be used a much more gradual curvature or depression in the cup formation. 'In this connection it will be noted that the curved under surface shown in Figs. 1-5, is, in itself, a large suction cup, providing as it does a concavely curved surface adjacent the shoulder of the wearer.

This shoulder pad is designed to take the place of all other shoulder pads usually .worn in a persons blouse, jacket, etc., and it is to be understood that this shoulder pad can be, attached to any: garment.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1s:

1. A shoulder pad comprising a padding member shaped to add to the contour of a wearers shoulder and modify said contour, and a reinforcing and securing member removably mounted in an arcuate-shaped groove extending from front to back in the under surface of said padding member, said reinforcing and securing member ieing fiexible and terminating in a pair of arms adapted to pass down in front and behind the wearers shoulder and press directly and lightly thereagainst, thereby securing said pad on the shoulder of the wearer, said groove being narrow adjacent to the surface and wider within the body of the padding member, whereby the reinforcing and securing member is positively secured therein, said arms having suction cups-on their inner surfaces to press against the wearers shoulder.

2. A shoulder pad comprising a padding member shaped to add tothe contour of a wearers shoulder and modify said contour, and a reinforcing and securing member removably mounted in an arcuate-shaped groove extending from front to back in the under surface of said padding member, and at least one suction cup on the under surface of said padding member, said reinforcing and securing member being flexible and terminating in a pair of arms adapted to pass down in front and behind the wearers shoulder and press directly and lightly thereagainst, thereby securing said pad on the shoulder of the wearer, said groove being narrow adjacent to the surface and wider within the body of the padding member, whereby the reinforcing and securing member is positively secured therein, said arms having suction cups on their inner surfaces to press against the Wearers shoulder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

